Apocalypse: My Apartment Has Traits - Chapter 50 - 46: Accusation and Compromise
Chapter 50: Chapter 46: Accusation and Compromise
“Deputy Captain Su and his wife have sacrificed their lives, Captain Chang was also killed, and the casualties within the Hunting Group have been severe recently. The village’s strength is no longer what it used to be!”
“Old Su is still heavily poisoned…”
“Second Brother Su is also carrying old injuries.”
“Among the new generation, only that granddaughter-in-law from the Su Family can hold the fort.”
“Relying on Old Su to hunt the lord alone by the end of the month, will that work?”
“We must also be wary of those people from Black Scale Village causing trouble in secret…”
Many villagers gathered at the entrance of the Su Family’s Old Mansion, their discussions rising and falling, just like when they flocked to Su Lin’s house before.
But this time, it was Su Lin who took the initiative.
He called Hou Yong, and the two cleverly guided this undercurrent of unease towards here.
Su Lin kept a calm face outwardly, but inside he was delighted.
Moral blackmail?
Who wouldn’t know how!
He feigned seriousness and cupped his hands towards Zhong Wubin inside the house, his voice loud, overpowering the chaos outside the door:
“Squad Leader Zhong! You’ve heard the voices of the villagers! On last month’s Night of Survival, you tried to preserve your strength to push for the First Transformation, and the village has paid a heavy price, even my parents sacrificed their lives for it!
“Now, more than half of the village’s core strength is lost. If you still refuse to put aside your prejudice against my Su Family, focus on the larger picture, and participate in the end-of-month lord hunt, I’m afraid it will only lead to greater tragedies!
“By then, will there still be people like my parents, willingly sacrificing themselves to lure away the lord?!”
His words were powerful, filled with indignation, leaving Zhong Wubin dumbfounded, about to argue, but was interrupted by Su Lin again.
Su Lin’s voice suddenly rose, carrying a blood-crying accusation:
“Squad Leader! I know you cherish your life for the bigger picture! But if the village is gone, even if you advance to First or Second Transformation, what use is it to the deceased villagers?!
“—The dead cannot be brought back to life!!”
In the crowd, someone immediately echoed in a mournful voice:
“Even after Old Su got poisoned last year, he didn’t let the village keep sacrificing for him! Is Squad Leader Zhong really going to sit by and watch the village add more graves?!”
This remark was like pouring oil on the fire, instantly igniting the crowd’s panic:
“Yeah! From last month till now, the village’s combat strength has almost halved, right?!”
“A third died on the Night of Survival, Deputy Captain Su and his wife are gone, dozens more casualties in the Hunting Group last week, and now even Captain Chang… ”
“Currently, among Tendon Lock Martial Artists, besides you, Squad Leader, there’s only the third generation of the Su Family, Old Liu Jun, and the deputy captain of Team 1 left!”
“If it weren’t for the talent-rich Su Family, I’m afraid the village wouldn’t even have enough Tendon Lock Martial Artists to count on one hand…”
“It’s shocking when you think about it! Last year, when Old Su was squad leader, our village was the most hopeful to be promoted to a township! How did it come to this… Alas!”
The survival pressure from the animal hordes outside had long planted seeds of unease in the villagers’ hearts.
At this moment, Su Lin mercilessly tore apart the facade of maintained calmness, openly exposing the bare crisis to everyone present.
Panic spread like a plague.
Zhong Wubin’s expression kept changing, so grim that it seemed like water could drip from it.
He never expected that the pressure from Black Scale Village, after Chang Sanheng’s death, would be used by Su Lin to such effect, turning against him!
Public opinion had turned unfavorable to him, and he had to stand up and respond!
Zhong Wubin took a deep breath, and with steady steps, walked out of the house to stand in front of the crowd.
Countless gazes fixed upon him, the heavy pressure mounting layer by layer.
“Everyone!”
He raised his voice, carrying a weight of authority, and his qi and blood surged, instantly suppressing all noise.
Once the crowd fell silent, he continued:
“As the squad leader of the Hunting Group, I understand your unease and difficulties deeply! Everything I’ve done has been for the consideration of the village’s greater good!”
Su Lin immediately stepped forward, standing to the left of the door, forming a stance with Zhong Wubin on the right, unafraid of that powerful aura, loudly questioning:
“So, does that mean Squad Leader Zhong still won’t put aside his prejudice against my Su Family and refuses to participate in the end-of-month lord hunt?!”
The crowd stirred again.
Zhong Wubin’s face darkened, his gaze towards Su Lin turned sharp and icy. But at this moment, there was no time to dwell on it, and he quickly responded:
“I have no prejudice against the Su Family! My lack of participation in the hunt is precisely to preserve strength for greater challenges!”
Su Lin let out a cold laugh, throwing out a prepared bombshell:
“Is your so-called ’greater picture’ referring to the Shunfeng Travel Group’s upcoming sale of the Tier One mechanism?!”
Boom!
The crowd erupted instantly!
“What?!”
“Shunfeng Travel Group is selling the Tier One mechanism?!”
“Is it true?! Where did this information come from?!”
“The Shunfeng Travel Group is coming next week, which means someone might build a Level 5 Safe House by then?!”
“…”
The discussions boiled over, and Zhong Wubin’s aura suddenly became terrifyingly oppressive, like a volcano about to erupt, pressing fiercely towards Su Lin!
The secret intelligence he had obtained at great cost was openly exposed by this Su Family kid!
How dare he?!
A wave of cold murderous intent almost broke out from within!
At this critical moment, Old Su Can stood like a mountain in front of his grandson, his aura exploding, forcibly countering Zhong Wubin’s oppressive force!
But Su Lin showed no fear, raising his voice from behind his grandfather to ensure everyone could hear:
“Why must Squad Leader Zhong be angry at a junior like me? Isn’t what I’m saying the truth?!”
The crowd quieted down again, all eyes arrowed towards Zhong Wubin.
Zhong Wubin was enraged but suppressed his surging anger, his voice low and menacing:
“I now suspect you of having ulterior motives! Why do you keep inciting the villagers’ emotions?!”
Old Su’s whiskers bristled like steel needles, a fierce look on his face, ready to speak, but Su Lin quickly held him back.
Su Lin, seizing the moment, with a voice resonant with irrefutable grief and anger:
“Ulterior motives?! Squad Leader Zhong! Have you closed yourself off for too long to become confused? Forgotten my identity?!
“My grandfather was the previous squad leader! My parents sacrificed their lives by leading the lord away to protect the village!
“I am Su Lin, the eldest grandson of the Su Family! What purpose could I have?!
“I inherit the will of my elders, everything I’ve done and said has only one purpose—to protect our village!!”
His words were clear and forceful, each like a hammer!
Zhong Wubin’s breath stalled, choked speechless.
Su Lin leveraged his parents’ noble sacrifice, and further accusing him of having hidden intentions would only frost the villagers’ hearts.
And Su Lin.
In both his lives, he has been the “Hero’s Orphan,” long attuned to the weight of using this identity.
He pressed the advantage, targeting the core:
“Now the village faces internal and external threats, danger is imminent!
“The Night of Survival is a noose around our necks! Black Scale Village is eyeing covetously! Neighboring villages are more likely to rush to acquire the Tier One mechanism!
“The situation is as fragile as eggs! Squad Leader Zhong, with all your talk of the greater picture, yet avoiding the most easily resolved lord threat!
“At the end of the month with my Su Family’s three generations giving our all, what are you truly afraid of?!
“Is your so-called ’greater picture’ for the village, or is it for yourself?!”
Each crisis starkly revealed, each question a sharp blade, stabbing straight to the heart!
The villagers wore expressions of fear, their eyes firmly pinned on their robust squad leader.
Zhong Wubin’s gaze swept over Su Lin menacingly.
In the end, weighing the pros and cons, he had to compromise:
“Fine! As you wish! I will participate in the end-of-month lord hunt!”
The crowd burst into jubilant cheers, feeling as if they had survived a disaster.
The members of the Su Family also breathed a collective sigh of relief.
This resolved most of the crisis for the Su Family!
Su Can and Zhao Yaxin looked at Su Lin with sparkling admiration, filled with wonder.
No one expected Su Lin to have resolved this matter.
Even the surrounding crowd now viewed Su Lin in a completely new light.
Especially his audacity to confront Squad Leader Zhong, which left many secretly astounded.
This infamous eldest grandson of the Su Family was indeed no longer the same inexperienced youth!
Yet, at this moment, Zhong Wubin’s tone sharply shifted, his voice icy:
“But my considerations for the village’s greater good are genuine!
“My plan is to unite with Black Scale Village to jointly seize the Tier One mechanism!”
What?!
Su Can’s face drastically changed.
Source: Webnovel.com, updated by novlove.com
